| 摘要 |
A color laser printer for producing a color image using a single laser scanning unit is provided. A lighting unit (10) includes first and second laser diodes (1,2) for emitting beams of one polarization, a polarization prism (5) for transmitting or reflecting incident beams depending on the direction of polarization, and third and fourth laser diodes (3,4) disposed in a different direction from the first and second laser diodes with respect to the polarization prism (5). A rotary polygon mirror (15) reflects the beam emitted along the same path from the lighting unit (10). An f-&thetas; lens (20) focuses the beam reflected by the rotary polygon mirror (15). First and second polarization beam splitters (21,22) each transmit or reflect the beam passing through the f-&thetas; lens (20) depending on the direction of polarization. First through fourth photoconductive units (31-34) receive the beams reflected and transmitted through the first and second polarization beam splitters (21,22). In the color laser printer, lengths of optical paths are equal between the f-&thetas; lens (20) and each of the first through fourth photoconductive units (31-34). The color laser printer is constructed such that the plurality of light sources (1-4) for emitting beams of one polarization are arranged separately and the beams emitted from the plurality of light sources are combined by the polarization prism (5) to enter the f-&thetas; lens (20), thereby requiring an f-&thetas; lens of reduced thickness. <IMAGE>
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